In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by JBL. JBL 4309 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the 4367 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL 4309 and JBL 4367 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL 4309 | JBL 4367 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Compression Driver | 3" Compression Driver |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Pure Pulp | 15" Pure Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 30-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | up to 300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.98kg / 24.2lbs | 54.00kg / 118.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 16-1/2" x 10-1/4" x 8-15/16"
419.0 x 260.0 x 227.0mm | 37-1/16" x 22-1/16" x 16-3/4"
941.0 x 560.0 x 425.0mm |
|---|
4309 and 4367 are members of JBL's Studio Monitor series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the JBL 4309 and JBL 4367 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
JBL 4309 |
JBL 4367 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both 4309 and 4367 are 2-way speakers.
JBL 4309JBL 4367
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL 4309 |
JBL 4367 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
3-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
4309 features a 1" Teonex Compression Driver Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1.6 kHz. On the other hand, the 4367 features a 3" Teonex Compression Driver Tweeter and 1 x 15" Pure Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 700 Hz.
Frequency Response
4309 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas 4367 has a frequency range of 30-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the 4367 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 4309's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
4309 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 4367 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the 4309 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 4309 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the 4367's is rated at 94 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the JBL 4367 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL 4309, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
4367 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas 4309 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the 4367.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 4309 and 4367 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare JBL 4309's and JBL 4367's external dimensions. JBL 4309 has external dimensions of 419.0 x 260.0 x 227.0mm (16-1/2 x 10-1/4 x 8-15/16inch) whereas JBL 4367 has external dimensions of 941.0 x 560.0 x 425.0mm (37-1/16 x 22-1/16 x 16-3/4inch).
JBL 4367 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 300mm wider, 522mm taller and 198mm deeper than JBL 4309.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
JBL 4367 needs about 303% more floor or shelf area. JBL 4367 is 198mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL 4367 is 522mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the JBL 4309 is approximately 590.2cm2 / 91.5inch2 and base area of the JBL 4367 is approximately 2380.0cm2 / 368.9inch2. The 4309 requires 75% less surface area than the 4367 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.